Vitamin A Benefits – The Forgotten Vitamin
Posted by in Vitamins on October 6, 2011
Vitamin A does not get the publicity it deserves among vitamins. There has been a lot of information about other vitamins that keep the vitamin A benefits in the background but this is another one of those powerful weapons that can help us in so many ways. Our bodies thrive when there is enough vitamin A in the system.
This vitamin is fat soluble which means that the body can store this life-giving vitamin and use it as needed. One caution, you can over do it with vitamin A. Water-soluble vitamins like vitamin B are passed off by the body if not needed, so you can overload with this and there can be adverse reactions such as birth defects, allergic reactions or osteoperosis if taken in excess over time.
Below are some typical foods that have an abundance of vitamin A benefits:
* Eggs
* Butter
* Milk (Whole)
* Sweet Potatoes
* Carrot
* Cantaloupe
* Broccoli
* Kale
These foods and many more have enough vitamin A in one serving that can be enough to give you a third of your needs daily and in some cases more than you need. You have to focus on items that have the vitamin A benefits. Many fad diets will steer you away from some of these wonderful foods that deliver the punch you need.
What is so good about vitamin A that we need to be sure that we get enough? Let’s take a look at some of the enormous vitamin A benefits just waiting to be captured by your body. Read the rest of this entry »
Stress Management With Vitamins, Supplements, and Aromatherapy
Posted by in Vitamins on October 6, 2011
Stress relief should always start with conscious efforts to remove or relieve the stressor. For instance, if your job is extremely stressful, and it’s making you sick, the best thing you can do is actively look for a less stressful job. Also, there are things like meditation and exercise to help relieve your stress and increase the relaxation response. However, recently there have been a host of studies looking for more positive ways to integrate changes in diet, vitamin regimen, and other holistic alternative approaches to relieve stress. I’m going to summarize some of the research here.
Food, Vitamins, and Stress
There are so many schools of thought about how to get your vitamins. Of course the best way is from whole natural foods. The foods found to have an impact on stress are:
Asparagus ,beef, milk, cottage cheese/fruit, almonds, blueberries, tuna, cornflakes/crispy rice cereal
These foods are rich in B vitamins and folic acid, which have been found to help ease stress and stabilize mood. Vitamins C and E are also known to help fight free radicals created by stress, which are known to contribute to causing cancer and other diseases.If you can’t get these whole foods in, or like me, you hate some things like cottage cheese and asparagus, you can get these in vitamin supplements. Research good companies (some of which we have chosen on this page) for supplying your supplements. All the research seem to point to having a good B Complex vitamin, vitamin C, and vitamin E to help with stress. They are also known to help fight inflammation internal to the body which leads to Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance.
Herbal Supplements for Stress, Depression, and Anxiety
While the FDA refuses to weigh in on the efficacy of herbs in treating illnesses and other health related applications, there are European bodies who do. A great article from livestrong.com covers some of the more effective treatments available in treating stress related illnesses like anxiety and depression. Read the rest of this entry »